Letters March 5, 2020

Dave Anderson is right when he describes the choices for anti-Trump voters as being “Big change or stability” (Re: The Anderson Files, Feb. 20, 2020), though I’d describe it as center-right versus center-left. Likewise for Coloradans in our 2020 senatorial race: center-rightist John Hickenlooper versus center-leftist Andrew Romanoff.

For many, former two-time governor John Hickenlooper seems the safe, “responsible” choice. But “Hick” hardly got reelected, winning by only 3.35 points. His short-lived presidential campaign flopped and made Hickenlooper seem less than honest with his claims of being responsible for Colorado’s landmark legalization of cannabis.

Hickenlooper is a bought-and-sold politician with a background in the oil industry. America and the world need to eschew fossil fuels — anyone with foresight and intelligence realizes this. Hickenlooper apparently doesn’t, and like most enablers of fossil-fuel addiction, he advocates a “balanced” approach to energy — in practice, continuing to use and develop fossil fuels indefinitely.

That’s the policy of both Republicans and establishment Democrats. It’s their only way to create jobs, and as a matter of principle, they ignore the possibility of using the public sector to nurture the economy; Hickenlooper has actually compared the Green New Deal to Stalinism.

No inexperienced amateur, no mere protest vote, Andrew Romanoff is highly electable. He won four terms in the Colorado House and spent two of them as Speaker. His campaign isn’t beholden to Big Oil, the fracking industry or the very rich in general. He’s a people’s candidate with great positions on the issues: for Medicare for All; strongly for the Green New Deal and serious about protecting the environment; for fighting tax breaks for the super-rich and a fair economic system; against unnecessary wars; pro-choice, for sexual equality and against domestic violence; for social equality in general; for an assault-weapons ban; for fully funding public education.

The problem with business-as-usual establishment Democrats is that they fail to inspire; Americans have become so cynical about them that they often fail to vote. Andrew Romanoff does inspire. John Hickenlooper may not beat reactionary Cory Gardner, but with our support, Andrew Romanoff can and will. He’ll be a senator of whom Colorado can be proud.

Paul Dougan/Boulder

Thank you, Joaquin Phoenix

In case you missed it, Joaquin Phoenix accepted the Oscars award for best male actor and used this platform and his voice to say this. “We go into the natural world and we plunder it for its resources. We feel entitled to artificially inseminate a cow and when she gives birth, we steal her baby. Even though her cries of anguish are unmistakable. Then we take her milk that’s intended for her calf and we put it in our coffee and our cereal.”

A cow’s milk, just like any other mammal, is intended for their young and not for humans. The “World Health Organization recommends mothers worldwide to exclusively breastfeed infants for the child’s first six months to achieve optimal growth, development and health. Thereafter, they should be given nutritious complementary foods and continue breastfeeding up to the age of two years or beyond.” After this age of growth, humans should discontinue their intake of breast milk from humans or non-human animals.

There are now over 30 plant based milks available and various plant-based cheeses and ice cream flavors. Next time you’re in the grocery store try reaching for the plant based milk or cheese and spare the mother cow the pain of having her babies stolen. Additionally, reducing your dairy consumption significantly reduces your carbon footprint at the same time as cows are the no. 2 source of methane emissions in the United States.

Thanks to Joaquin Phoenix for using his voice and platform to share some truth.